Eclipse weather forecast: Where will clouds mar your view of the sky spectacle?

Author:
Doyle Rice, USA TODAY , TEGNA

Published:
6:49 PM EDT August 20, 2017

Updated:
6:49 PM EDT August 20, 2017

The big day is almost here: The Great American Eclipse will darken the sky from Oregon to South Carolina on Monday. Where will clouds spoil your view?

Along the path of totality, some of the best viewing weather appears to be in interior portions of the West, all the way from central Oregon, through Idaho to eastern Wyoming, where the eclipse will occur in late morning.

Though some clouds are possible along the Oregon coast, clear skies are expected in cities such as Salem, Ore.; Boise, Idaho; and Casper, Wyo., according to the National Weather Service.

The only minor hitch could be occasional smoky skies from wildfires.

In the central U.S., a few clouds and some scattered showers could mar the view in portions of Nebraska and Missouri, but a complete washout isn't likely. This includes Kansas City (where part of the city will see the total eclipse) and St. Louis, which is barely outside the total eclipse area.

Good viewing is expected for the early afternoon along the path of totality from southeast Missouri and southern Illinois into western Kentucky and most of Tennessee, AccuWeather said.

This includes Nashville, the largest U.S. city that's entirely in the path: "Dry conditions are expected the entire day," and only a few clouds are possible, according to the weather service in Nashville.

Finally, South Carolina may offer some of the worst viewing weather, especially near the coast, where mostly cloudy skies are in the forecast. There is also the potential for "showers and thunderstorms Monday morning and early afternoon," the weather service in Charleston said.

Elsewhere, most of the entire nation will be able to see the partial eclipse. Areas where clouds could block the view: the Upper Midwest and portions of New Mexico and Florida.

Clear skies should prevail, however, in much of California, Texas, the Ohio Valley and the Northeast.